MALIK IBN ANAS (c. 718-795)

This article appears in Volume V17, Page 489 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: MAL-MAR

MALIK IBN ANAS (c. 718-795) , the founder of the Malikite school of canon law, was born at Medina about A.D. 718: the precise date is not certain. He studied and passed his life there, and came to be regarded as the greatest local authority in theology and law. (For his legal

system

SYSTEM

and its history see

MAHOMMEDAN

MAHOMMEDAN

LAW.) His life was one of extreme honour and dignity, but uneventful, being given to study, lecturing on law and acting as mufti and 'judge. Only two episodes stand out in his

biography

BIOGRAPHY (from the Gr. (3ios, life, and yp&4 , writing)

. When Mahommed ibn 'Abdallah, the 'Alid, rose in A.D. 762 at Medina against the 'Abbasids, Malik gave a fatwa, or legal

opinion

OPINION (Lat. opinio, from opinari, to think)

, that the oath of allegiance to the'Abbasids was invalid, as extorted by force. For this independence he was severely scourged by the `Abbasid

governor

GOVERNOR (from the Fr. gouverneur, from gouverner, O. Fr. governer, Lat. gubernare, to steer a ship, to direct, guide)

, who, apparently, did not dare to go beyond scourging with a man of his

standing

STANDING

with the people. The second episode gave equal proof of independence. In 795 Harlan al-Rashid made the

pilgrimage

PILGRIMAGE (Fr. pelerinage, Lat. peregrinatio)

, came with two of his sons to Medina, and sat at the feet of Malik as he lectured in the mosque. The story, legendary or historical, adds that Malik had refused to go to the caliph, saying that it was for the student to come to 'his teacher.

Late

LATE

in life he seems to have turned to asceticism and contemplation. It is said that he retired from all active, public life and even neglected plain, public duties, replying to reproaches, " Not every one can speak in his own excuse " (Ibn Qutaiba, Ma 'arif, 250). He is also entered among the early ascetic Sufis (cf. Fihrist, 183). He died in Medina, A.D. 795.
For a description of his

principal

PRINCIPAL

book, the Muwatta', see

Goldziher

GOLDZIHER, IGNAZ (1850– )

's Muhammedanische Studien, ii. 213 sqq. He wrote also a Koran commentary, now apparently lost, and a hortatory epistle to Harlan al-Rashid. See further, de Slane's trans. of Ibn Khallikan, ii. 545 sqq.; von Kremer, Culturgeschichte, i. 477 sqq.; Brockelmann; Gesch. der crab. Litt., i. 175 sqq. ; Macdonald, Muslim Theology, &c., 99 sqq. and index; Fihrist, 198 seq. ; Nawawi, 530 sqq. (D. B. MA.)

End of Article: MALIK IBN ANAS (c. 718-795)

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/MAL_MAR/MALIK_IBN_ANAS_c_718_795_.html">
MALIK IBN ANAS (c. 718-795)
</a>

(Previous)
MALIGNANT CHOLERA (synonyms, Asiatic Cholera, I...

(Next)
MALINES (Flemish, Mechelen, called in the middl...

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email